Ukrainian Adoptions

I. Ukraine and Ukrainian Adoptions Adopt Abroad Background in Ukraine

Ukraine is currently open and accepting applicants to adopt children from Ukraine. In 2011, 640 Ukrainian children were adopted by U.S. citizens.
The new authority managing the adoption of children in Ukraine is the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine.

As of July 14, 2011, the State Department on adoption and protection of children's rights (SDAPCR), Ukraine's adoption authority has deemed that
Ukrainian children available for international adoption must be at least five years old.
Children with special needs or who or part of an older sibling group may be available for international adoption as well.

Ukrainian Waiting ChildrenThe Ukrainian children waiting for adoption are living in orphanages.
The majority of the Ukrainian children have been placed for adoption due to difficult economic conditions.
In some cases the children have been taken from their biological parents due to abuse or neglect and are now waiting for their adoptive parents.

The Ukrainian children will tend to be fair skinned with fair to brown hair. The Ukrainian adoption authority does not permit pre-identification of
Ukrainian children for adoption which means children will be identified for families when they are invited to travel. back to listing >>

III. Children in Ukraine available for adoption

All Ukrainian children that are available for international adoption will be at least five years old. Younger children may be available if they are children with special needs or who are part of a sibling group.
At present the Ukrainian adoption authorities does not permit the adoption of two unrelated children during a single adoption procedure. back to listing >>

Currently the Ukraine adoption program is open to married couples only. There is no limitation on the number of children that can be currently in the home. back to listing >>

V. The Ukrainian Adoption Process

In 2011, there were 640 children adopted from Ukraine into the USA. The Ukraine adoption program has remained open and stable for many years. The Ukrainian adoption process is unique in that families will not
be presented with a Ukrainian child referral prior to their trip to Ukraine. You will be provided with information on the Ukrainian waiting children once you are at your official appointment with the Ukrainian adoption authorities.

Adoptive families who are applying to the Ukraine adoption program must contact our agency so that we can answer any questions you may have about the program and provide you with the most current information we have regarding our Ukrainian adoption program.

Once you have decided to enter into our Ukrainian adoption program you must fill in application form which provides us basic information about your family. Applicants will then be sent a contract for the Ukraine adoption program.

As with all international adoptions you will be required to compile and adoption dossier for the Ukrainian adoption. The adoption dossier is essentially a collection of official paperwork which will be translated to and submitted
to the Ukrainian adoption authorities in Kiev, Ukraine. back to listing >>

VI. Travel for your Ukrainian Adoption

Once the Ukraine adoption authorities have reviewed your dossier, you will receive a written invitation to travel to Ukraine and meet with the Ukrainian adoption authorities, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine.
We estimate that families received their invitation to travel to Ukraine approximately 2 -3 months after the Ukrainian dossier has been translated and submitted to the Ukrainian
adoption authorities.

Our Ukrainian partner will meet you at the airport, arrange lodging accommodations and escort you through the entire Ukrainian adoption proceedings. Our Ukrainian adoption facilitator has been working with our agency since 2005.

Our Ukrainian partner will escort you to your appointment at the adoption Center in Kiev. During your appointment at the Adoption Center you will be interviewed by representatives of the Ukraine adoption
authorities as well as a psychologist or social worker who works for the Ukrainian adoption authorities. Adoptive applicants will be presented with information including photos and basic medical information
on several Ukrainian children who are available for adoption at that time.

Adoptive parents will then select a child they would like to meet to consider adopting. The adoptive applicants and our Ukrainian facilitator will then travel to the region where that child lives.
Applicants will be escorted to the orphanage to meet that particular child. The adoptive applicants will have an opportunity to ask questions about the child's health and any information the orphanage
that may have on that child's background, educational or developmental history.

If the adoptive applicants decide to accept the child referral then the Ukrainian adoption proceedings can began. Should the adoptive parents decide not to proceed with the
Ukrainian child referred they can request another appointment at the adoption Center in Kiev, Ukraine. Families are permitted to have up to three appointments at the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine,
the authority managing the adoption of children in Ukraine.

When you have decided to proceed with the adoption of you Ukrainian child referral, our representatives will begin to put your child's adoption paperwork together and arrange the court date.
Once the child's paperwork is ready you will attend official court proceedings in the region and appear before a Ukrainian judge to finalize your adoption. Both parents must be present for the adoption hearing.
The process of preparing the paperwork and going through the court proceedings will take approximately 2 weeks. After the official Ukrainian court procedures there is a 10 day waiting period for the paperwork to finalize.
After the 10 days are over the Ukrainian adoption decree will be issued and you will proceed on to the final steps to bring your Ukrainian child home.

The child will undergo a required medical examination by one of the physicians approved by the United States State Department, to complete the child's required medical examination.
After the medical examination you will be escorted to the US Consulate in Kiev, Ukraine for the exit interview.

Once you have completed these steps your child will receive a visa to enter the USA. Your child will be traveling on their Ukrainian passport which will have the U.S.
visa stamp allowing him to enter the USA. In most cases your child will enter the USA on an IR3 visa.
back to listing >>

VII. Time Required to Complete a Ukrainian Adoption

Both parents are required to travel to Ukraine to select and meet their Ukrainian child. After the Ukrainian court hearing one parent may select to return home.
Families can decide to complete their Ukrainian adoption process in either one or two trips. If the family chooses to complete their Ukrainian adoption in one trip they will stay in Ukraine for approximately 4-5 weeks.
If the family chooses to complete the adoption in two trips, the first trip will last approximately 2 weeks and the second trip will take approximately 7 days.
It is possible for only one parent to travel on the second trip to bring their Ukrainian child home. back to listing >>

VIII. Post Adoption Visits/Reports for Ukrainian Adoptions

As with all our international adoptions, Adopt Abroad, Inc. requires that the child be seen for some post-adoption reports. The Ukrainian adoption authorities require annual reports, including photos of the
child be submitted for three years after your Ukrainian child's adoption. Thereafter reports are required every three years until the child turns age 18. Under Ukrainian law, the child retains his
Ukrainian citizenship (dual citizenship) until the age of 18 and upon reaching the age of majority (age 18) can decide whether or not to become a Ukrainian citizen. back to listing >>

IX. Ukraine: The Country

Ukraine is an Easter European country and a former part of the Soviet Union. It has a population of about 48.5 million people. The main religion of Ukraine is Orthodox Christian and
the official language is Ukrainian. English is understood in the large cities and tourist areas only.

Ukraine is surrounded by Russia, Belarus, Poland, Moldova and the Black Sea. Ukraine has a landmass of about 233,1000 sq. miles with many rolling hills and wooded plains as well as the
Carpathian and Crimean Mountain ranges. The climate is moderate, but winters can be quite cold.

Ukraine became an independent republic in 1991. Ukraine is presently undergoing the transition to a market economy and the country faces many challenges.
This is one reason; among many personal choices whey parents place their children for adoption. In 2006 U.S. citizens adopted 606 orphans from Ukraine. back to listing >>